1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to anti-shoplifting security devices that hold an EAS tag to an item of merchandise. More particularly, the present invention relates to EAS tag holders that may be removed from an item of merchandise and discarded.
2. Background Information
Merchandise lost to shoplifting is a well known problem faced by retail establishments. One anti-shoplifting system tags each article of merchandise with an electronic article surveillance (EAS) tag that activates an alarm when the EAS tag passes near a sensor that is typically positioned at the exit to the retail establishment.
One common type of EAS tag is a removable tag that is removed by the sales clerk and reused by the retail establishment on a different article of merchandise. The process of removing the EAS tag and reusing the EAS tag takes time and is undesired in some retail establishments. These retail establishments do not wish to be responsible for reinstalling used EAS tags on new items of merchandise. The retail establishments desire that the tags come with the merchandise and can be sold with the merchandise to the customers. The tags are then removed from the merchandise by the consumer after the merchandise is removed from the retail establishment.
Other retail establishments desire disposable tags that may be quickly attached to and detached from an item of merchandise. Once used and detached, the tag may be thrown away. In this type of system, the retail establishment may require that certain merchandise be delivered to the retail establishment with the tags attached. The sales clerk would then detach the tag and throw it away thus eliminating most of the work now performed by the retail establishment.
The invention provides a disposable EAS tag holder that is locked to an item of merchandise until a portion of the EAS tag holder is destroyed. The EAS tag holder is designed to have one component that is easily destroyed by the consumer after the consumer takes the merchandise home. In one embodiment, the holder includes a hinge that may be severed by a common household tool such as a pair of scissors. After the hinge is severed, the members of the holder are slid apart to unlock the holder.
The invention also provides an EAS tag holder having a body that has locking fingers that hold first and second members of the holder together. The holder is removed from an item of merchandise by using a key that breaks the locking fingers to release the first and second members.
The invention also provides an EAS tag holder that is attached to the item of merchandise with a clamping force. Another embodiment of the EAS tag holder provides a tooth that is designed to pierce or clamp against the item of merchandise.
The invention also provides an EAS tag holder that has locking fingers that hold first and second members of the holder together until they are unlocked with a key pin that engages the locking fingers from a direction that is parallel to the pivot axis of the hinge that connects the first and second members. In one embodiment, the invention provides a holder configuration wherein the key pins slide into sides of the holder to engage the locking fingers. The invention also provides a key that allows the user to unlock the holder by pushing down on a plunger that simultaneously pushes the key pins into the sides of the holder.